Julie Goodwin's Cheesy Tuna Pies

Just for a change - photo by ME!

Serves 4

Prep time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 25 minutes

Get This -

1 x 375g packet macaroni
50g butter
1 medium carrot, diced small

1 brown onion, diced

1 cup frozen baby peas

1 tin corn kernels

1/4 cup plain flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 cup grated tasty cheese

425g tin tuna in brine, drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

Olive oil spray

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan forced).
2. In a large pot of rapidly boiling, salted water, cook the pasta to packet directions. Drain.
3. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the carrot and onion. Saute gently until the carrots are soft. Add the peas and corn.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat all the vegetables well.
5. Pour in 1/2 cup milk and stir until it is all incorporated and starting to form a thick, doughy sauce. Add another half a cup and repeat. Add the last of the milk and cook for a minute more, stirring.
6. Toss in the mustard and cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Add the tuna; break up any huge lumps but don't stir too much after this or the tuna will disintegrate and become mushy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Stir the pasta gently through and divide between 4 ramekins or small pie dishes. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top and give a little spray of olive oil.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crunchy.

Hokkien Noodles with Prawns

Image and (tweaked) recipe from Taste.com.au

Serves 4

Get This -

450g thin hokkien noodles
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
300g green prawn cutlets
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g fresh stir-fry vegetables
2 tbs kecap manis
2 tbs fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Do This -

1. Place the noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 2 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil and heat until smoking. Stir-fry the prawns and garlic for 2 minutes or until they change colour. Transfer to a plate.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until tender crisp.
4. Add the noodles, kecap manis and lemon juice to the wok. Return the prawn mixture to the wok and add the basil. Toss until combined and heated through.

Beef & Vegetable Korma

This curry is a perfect winter warmer, and so simple! All you need is time to let it simmer.

Serves 4

Get This -

1 tablespoon olive oil

600g diced beef

1/2 jar korma paste (I used Patak's)

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled, chopped

2 zucchinis, chopped

150g cauliflower, cut into small florets

3/4 cup (200g) Greek-style natural yogurt

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh coriander

Steamed rice, to serve

Cooked pappadums or naan bread, to serve

Do This -

1. Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add half the beef and cook stirring 1-2 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and beef.
2. Add onions to the pan and saute until lightly browned.
3. Return the beef to the pan and add the korma paste, vegetables and 1/2 cup (90g) of the yogurt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 2 or more hours.
4. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the chopped coriander and stir the remaining coriander through the curry. Spoon the curry onto the rice and sprinkle with the remaining coriander. Serve with the remaining yogurt and pappadums or naan.

Note - you can add any vegetables you have or like to this curry.

Fi's Minestrone

I found this recipe on Fi's blog Mummy Daze and thought it looked so good and so easy that I'd give it a go! It's absolutely delicious!!

Not my image, as per usual!

Serves 4 - with enough for seconds and leftovers

Get This -

2 tablespoons oil
ham/bacon/salami
onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons tomato paste

800g tinned tomatoes

2 teaspoons stock powder

4.5 cups cold water

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 large carrot, diced

zucchini, sliced

1/2 broccoli, chopped finely

1/2 cup frozen peas

750g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and strained

1/2 cup macaroni/broken spaghetti pieces

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cups fresh baby spinach (if you have some)
salt & pepper

fresh basil

serve with a dollop of pesto

Do This -

1. Add diced bacon, onion, crushed garlic and oil to large pot. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until onion is softened.
2. Add tomato paste, tinned tomato, stock and water. Cover, and bring to the boil. Add potato and carrots. Cook, uncovered for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
3. When you are nearly ready to serve, add the beans, zucchini, broccoli, peas and pasta. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is just tender. Add sugar and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in baby spinach leaves just before serving.
4. Ladle into bowls and dollop with pesto and basil. Serve with toasted bread or oven-baked rolls - whatever you have handy.

I served it with parmesan instead of pesto, and fresh basil.

Thai-Style Curry

This recipe is like a choose your own adventure story book.

You choose the type of curry.
You choose as many or as few vegetables as you like
You choose the meat or tofu...and come up with your own special thai-style curry.

Serves 4

 Get This -

• 2 tbsps thai red, green or yellow curry paste
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsps fish sauce
• 2 tbsps brown sugar
• 1 tbsp lime juice or 1 kaffir lime leaf finely shredded
• 400g - 500g diced chicken, pork, lamb, or prawns peeled and deveined. Or 300g tofu, diced and lightly fried
• fresh coriander
• 4 cups jasmine rice (cooked)

Choose your vegetables -

• small can bamboo shoots (drained and rinsed)
• small can water chestnuts (drained and rinsed)
• 125g baby corn spears, halved diagonally
• snow peas or snow pea sprouts
• capsicum
• carrots
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• shallots or onions
• beans or sugar snap peas
• zucchini

Do This -

1. In a wok or large saucepan, over medium high heat, combine coconut milk and curry paste, heat and stir constantly until the majority of the paste has dissolved. 2. And fish sauce, brown sugar and lime, stir until dissolved. 3. Add meat or tofu and vegetables, stir gently until well incorporated. 4. Let simmer for 10 - 20 minutes until meat and vegetables are cooked through. 5. Serve over rice or noodles and top with coriander or your favourite herbs.

Beef and Black Bean Noodle Stir-Fry

Another recipe from Taste.com.au

This is what I call cheating...opening packets and bottles. But this is pretty good cheating, don't you think?

It's not the tastiest meal I've ever had. But it's not bad for something quick and easy.

From Taste.com.au

Serves 4

Get This -

• 1 x 400g pkt hokkien noodles
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 400g beef stir-fry strips
• 1 brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 x 500g pkt Woolworths Fresh Family Vegetable Stir-Fry
• 80ml (1/3 cup) water
• 1 x 300g btl Asia at Home Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves

Do This -

1. Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside for 3 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok over high heat. Add half the beef and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with 1 teaspoon of oil and the remaining beef.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and stir-fry for 1 minute or until the onion softens. Add vegetables and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the vegetables are tender crisp.
4. Use a fork to separate the noodles. Add the noodles and black bean sauce to the wok, and toss to coat. Add the remaining water to the sauce bottle and seal. Shake until well combined. Pour into the wok. Add the beef and toss to combine.
5. Divide the stir-fry among serving plates. Top with the coriander to serve.

Rissoles

Not my photo, I always forget to take photos, too busy eating!

Makes 16 small rissoles

Get This -

250g beef mince
1/2 carrot, grated
1/2 zucchini, grated
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated parmesan
1 egg
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
2 slices grain bread, crusts removed and broken up into small pieces

Do This -

1. Mix everything together well (with your hands, of course) in a mixing bowl.
2. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
3. Roll into small balls, sausage shapes or patties.
4. Shallow fry until browned all over and cooked through.

My friend Julie makes gravy with her rissoles and this is how she does it.

2 tbspns flour, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 tbspn tomato paste, mixed together in the pan the rissoles were cooked in. It's my new favourite thing! I love gravy!!

Chicken Pasties

This was my first attempt at making pasties.
It is a little time consuming but very easy.
This amount makes a lot of pasties so I cooked half and froze half.
They froze really well, I wrapped them in baking paper so they wouldn't stick together.




Makes 12

Get This - 

• 30g unsalted butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 carrot, peeled, grated
• 1 sticks celery, chopped
• 5 button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup shredded, barbecued chicken
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 tbs plain flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 sheets puff pastry, defrosted
• Milk or egg yolk, to brush pastry

Note - You can change the vegetable to suit your taste, or to use whatever you have in the fridge. I used carrot, zucchini (finely diced, not grated), cabbage and corn.


Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add onion and curry and fry until onions are soft but not brown. Add carrot and celery and cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken and corn and stir until combined. Stir in flour, then gradually start adding stock, stirring, until mixture thickens. Set aside to cool.
3. Cut each pastry sheet into 4. Add about 2 spoons of the mixture to the centre of a piece of pastry. Fold over a corner diagonally to enclose the filling and form a triangle. Use a fork to seal the edges, then brush with milk or egg yolk.
4. Repeat with remaining pastry and mixture. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
5. Serve with a green salad or steamed vegetables

Honey Soy & Ginger Chicken Noodle Stir Fry

I love a stir-fry!!


Serves 2

Get This -

1 chicken breast, trimmed, cut into strips across the grain
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
4cm piece ginger, finely grated
1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
1 medium carrot, cut into thin sticks
handful of green beans, trimmed, halved diagonally
(Or whatever stir-fry vegetables you have eg capsicum, snow peas, brocolli, baby corn)
enough noodles for 2 (I prefer rice noodles, but you could use hokkien, udon, stick noodles, or even a packet of 2 minute noodles)

Do This - 

• Combine chicken, soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger in a bowl.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes to marinate. (An hour in the fridge is better)
• Cook noodles according to the instructions on the pack.
• Drain chicken and reserve marinade.  Heat oil in a large wok or fry pan over a high heat.  Add chicken and stir fry for about 2 minutes, until just cooked.  Remove chicken from wok.
• Add vegetables one at a time and stir-fry until cooked through.
• Add chicken, drained noodles and reserved marinade, combine until heated through.
• Serve with chopped herbs or spring onions.

Beef & Vegetable Stew

This beef and vegetable stew is easy to make and great for a cold winter night.

(serves 4)

Get This -

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800g beef chuck steak, trimmed, cubed
2 large carrots, peeled, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/3 cup red wine
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 x 410g cans diced tomatoes
2 cups beef stock

Do This -

Place beef, flour, salt & pepper in a zip lock bag.  Shake until well coated.

Heat oil in large pot. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until onion has softened. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add beef. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned.

Add carrot, celery , parsley and potato. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Add tomato paste, tomato and beef stock. Bring to the boil. Cover with lid. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 hours.

Serve with crusty bread or dumplings.

Angela's Chicken Soup

This recipe was kindly given to my by @AngelaPj when I had a very sore throat.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken to fill half your pot.
Maryland is best and cheap but can have small bones so not for littlies.
You need cuts with bones to get the flavour.
I use wings, drumsticks and breast fillets (for a bit more meat).
Dried tarragon (optional)
Noodles
Rice
Chicken stock powder
Salt & pepper
Worcestershire sauce

Lots of vegies. Fill to top of pot. I like to use at least 10 different types.
Must have:
One bunch Shallots (definitely not onions)
Carrots
Potato
Pumpkin (not too much or will be too sweet)
Silverbeet or spinach or asian green like bok chuy or choy sum (use lots as it shrinks)

Optional:
Swede or turnip
Beans
Parsnip
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Zuccini
Celery
Squash
Brussel sprouts
Etc.

1. Boil Chicken for about ½ hour (as long as it takes to chop vegies) scrape off scum from top of water.
2. Add vegies and a few tablespoons of stock powder. Add tarragon and Worcestershire sauce and a little salt and pepper. Fill pot up with water.
3. Simmer for about 1 ½ hours.
4. Take out chicken and add noodles and a handful of rice.
5. Cook for another ½ hour or so.
6. Strip chicken from bones and put back in pot. Top up with water.
7. Add more stock powder, salt and pepper to taste.

Note: If using wings take them out before they fall apart otherwise the little bones escape from the skin.
Add a little more chicken stock than you need then you add water when you eat. That way you get more out of a pot cos there’s not much room for water in the pot with all those vegies.